O'leary Wants Ucf To Pick Up The Pace

Golden Knights - The Beat

For the most part, Coach George O'Leary's first preseason camp at UCF was filled with players doing all things he demanded. Operative clause: for the most part.

The Golden Knights went through a crisp 80-minute workout Monday night in shorts and shoulder pads. O'Leary continues to have concerns about young players grasping the speed at which he expects No. 21 Wisconsin to play on Sept. 4, but he was happy for the first time in days about the Knights' effort.

That wasn't the case the last time they took the field Sunday for a scheduled scrimmage. The coach re-started the workout after 25 minutes because he didn't like the way it was going. Ninety minutes later, he cut the practice short. He did the same thing last week.

"I thought two-a-days caught up to them," O'Leary said. "I want to see them fight through that. I was disappointed. I didn't see any acceleration. There were too many guys leaning on each other and not fighting through the heat."

The heat might be one of the few advantages the Knights have against the Badgers. Temperatures in Wisconsin have been in the 70s and 80s, and humidity in Madison hasn't come close to what it has been here the past three weeks.

SEEING LESS RED

If there's one dramatic difference a year ago -- from many preseasons of the past -- it's that there aren't many red jerseys being worn. Red is the traditional jersey color for players who are injured.

An almost annual event at UCF in August has been the number of Knights hurt before their first game, but so far, that hasn't been an issue this season. Only MLB Brian Goins (knee) sustained a serious injury in camp. Every other player who has worn red is back at practice. (Backup G Adam Butcher still is rehabbing a sore knee.)

"Knock on wood, but really, the reason you get injuries is when guys come in out of shape. Our guys came into camp in really good condition," O'Leary said.

Reasons aren't difficult to conjure. Players who wear red work as hard or harder than players at practice. Strength and conditioning coaches Ed Ellis, Scott Sinclair and Williams Flowers have an almost endless array of exercises for the sidelined few.

"Everybody worked hard in the offseason," OLB Stanford Rhule said. "I can tell the difference."

ETC.

Wednesday is tuneup day. The Knights will go through their final scrimmage, a polishing scrimmage in which coaches will pit the No. 1 units against everybody else. Several positions still are being sorted out, including the backup quarterback. The Knights will bring in Mid-American Conference officials to work the scrimmage. . . . With two-a-days done, the Knights continue to fine-tune their personnel. WR Al Peterson will repeat as the holder on placements. WR Tavaris Capers and TB Keith Williams will work as kickoff returners. . . . An hour-long MAC preview show airs Friday at 6:30 p.m. on Sunshine Network.